The first of 40 inland waterway barges that are being built by Concordia Damen has been launched at the casco yard in Serbia. Concordia Damen signed the contract for the environmentally friendly vessels late last year.

The vessels, known as the Parsifal Tankers, will be chartered by Shell and operated by the VT Group/Marlow. The vessels will be 110 x 11.45 metres and will feature low emission LNG propulsion and extreme shallow draft capabilities. They will carry mineral oils between Antwerp, Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Rhine network. The VT Group is specialised in the inland shipping of minerals, chemical products, bio fuels and lubricants.

Concordia Damen CEO Chris Kornet said, “We are pleased to have reached this milestone in this important project. The Parsifal Tankers represent a new generation of eco-conscious vessels that will play a significant role in the maritime energy transition. We are looking forward to continuing to develop this project in the coming months.”